"Madame is again mistaken," replied the general. "You can get to M. de Ménars by going down to the first floor and along by the apartments."
"If that is so, let us go, monsieur, and see poor Ménars at once," said the duchess.
Whereupon, she took the general's arm and drew him towards the door.
"Has Madame forgotten that she is a prisoner?" he asked her.
"Ah! true," murmured the duchess; "I thought I was still in a castle, and I am in a prison. At least, general, I hope it will not be forbidden me to send and inquire how he is?"
"I wished to bring you news myself," said the general, "I have come from him."
"Well, how is he?"
The general then told the duchess the care he had taken of M. de Ménars. Such marks of attention, she well understood, had been paid more to her than to M. de Ménars, and they touched her keenly.
"General," she said, in tones which showed that her anger had evaporated, "I thank you for all your kindness to Ménars; but he indeed thoroughly deserves it, for he is not an adherent of my train."
It was too late to go to the review, so the general remained with Madame, who expressed a desire to write to her brother, the King of Naples and to her sister, the Queen of Spain.